Astronomy

[Goldstone1976]

I got into astronomy about a year ago, so am still learning. However, a couple of tips:

1) Bigger is better (as always). Bigger in this case being tube diameter/aperture/mirror size. The bigger the aperture, the more light you will be able to collect. More light = brighter, sharper image.

2) Decide what you want to view, it greatly influences the choice of telescope. Basically, you need to decide if you want to primarily view the moon/planets or view deep space objects [DSO](galaxies etc).

3) If you want to do DSO photography you HAVE to get an equatorial mount (or just possibly a wedge fitted onto an alt-az mount). For exposures of up to say 30 seconds of planets/the moon an alt-az mount will do.

4) Consider if you an automated tracking and finding (Go to) device. With one, it will automatically tell your scope your position (lat and long), which otherwise can be a fiddly, time-consuming job for a beginner. They have a database of up to several thousand objects pre-stored; you press a button saying "Go to object X" and the scope will go there and automatically track the object. Purists hate them since they get off on fiddling around with the set up, are proud of their knowledge of where objects are and have the dexterity to manually track the object. For me, it's been a total godsend.

5) If you need to transport the telescope to a suitably dark place, remember that telescopes and mounts are HEAVY!

If you need any further help, don't hesitate to PM me....

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

It's very likely that life started on Mars and migrated to Earth. One in the gonads for creationists?

http://news.sky.com/Life on earth started on Mars say scientists

 

[GreersElbow]

I love a bit of astronomy and theoretical physics. My advice would to be to buy "Astronomy for dummies" from amazon, I picked one up for $11 and paid like $3 for post and packaging from the U.S and it arrived in a week. When the clouds are in, YouTube physicists such as Neil DeGrasse Tyson and Michio Kaku, two very well known, respected and passionate physicists. Their videos are often full of passion, Dr Kaku is a theoretical physicist and he can explain key concepts very well in a easy manner for people to understand. Dr Tyson is just a badass, he adds humour and suave to physics.

Dr Kaku is an interesting one too, as he has some theories on extraterrestrial life which are well worth listening to and anything by Dr Tyson is just brilliant. If anyone wants to know where the meme "Woah, we've got a badass over here" came from, it's him:

My favourite subject within astronomy, astrophysics is actually the weird object we so heavily rely on. The moon, proportionally bigger than any other planetary satellite and much older than the Earth it self.

It's very likely that life started on Mars and migrated to Earth. One in the gonads for creationists?

http://news.sky.com/Life on earth started on Mars say scientists

That's an interesting article, I don't think many people were doubting that we did originate from a piece of Mars broken off by an meteorite. But I prefer reading about the Ancient Astronaut theory is so awesome, I love reading about it, it reminds me of Prometheus.

 

[seagurn]

It's very likely that life started on Mars and migrated to Earth. One in the gonads for creationists?

http://news.sky.com/Life on earth started on Mars say scientists

Some of them landed in the estuary near London and may turn up in brighton at the weekend !!

For your phone I recommend the google sky app and its free , it'll help you locate things.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Some of them landed in the estuary near London and may turn up in brighton at the weekend !!

For your phone I recommend the google sky app and its free , it'll help you locate things.

There's one for the iPad too, not sure if it's the same one, it looked different to me, but as the iPad is a bigger screen it seemed more useful.

 

[Munkfish]

There are books available (check Amazon) on Astronomy with the Naked Eye. A quick search on some Astro web sites will give you info regarding what bins to get. As for telescopes, the general rule of thumb is don't spend less than about £400, but you can get some bargains on eBay - I got my 5" reflector for £100 (£200 new) - it came with an equatorial mount and motor drive, so I'm just getting around to some webcam photography with it.

Will we get to see more people Masterbating in there garden?

 

[smeariestbat]

i have an app called planets and one called star chart. My aim, when i have said binoculars, is to locate andromeda. The deep space objects such as nebulae and star clusters interest me more than looking at the moon closely.

 

[jgmcdee]

If you're looking for something cheap to start with, try one of these: Infinity 76P Telescope £40 for a not-shabby telescope you can put on the garden table. My daughter has one and you can see the moons of Jupiter through it, and some great views of the moon.

Once you've decided if you like astronomy or not you can upgrade to something serious, but this is a great way for you to see if you enjoy it without breaking the bank.

 

[Silk]

Orions belt does it for me, mirroring the 3 main pyramids at Giza, while the Milky Way mirrors the Nile

Except they don't, and it doesn't. Graham Hancock talks a load of balls.

 

[Silk]

Oh combined wisdom of NSC
I am looking to getting into astronomy, all i know is i need to start with a pair of binoculars and go from there. however, what pair to get and where to go from there eludes me. please advise

First piece of advice: ignore 75% of the crap you'll be told on this thread.

 

[Silk]

i have an app called planets and one called star chart. My aim, when i have said binoculars, is to locate andromeda. The deep space objects such as nebulae and star clusters interest me more than looking at the moon closely.

There's an app called SkEye which is very good. Also there's a very useful one called simply "meteor shower calendar" which does exactly what it says on the tin, and integrates with SkEye.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

Except they don't, and it doesn't. Graham Hancock talks a load of balls.

You're a little ray of sunshine, aren't you?

1. Oh yes they do. Other pyramids have, also, been found to correspond to other stars in the constellation of Orion and the Pleiades
2. It was Robert Bauval, not Graham Hancock
3. The theory has been accepted by mainstream archaeology, including that **** Zahi Hawass

 

[Tricky Dicky]

i have an app called planets and one called star chart. My aim, when i have said binoculars, is to locate andromeda. The deep space objects such as nebulae and star clusters interest me more than looking at the moon closely.

If I got a telescope, I thnk I'd spend many sessions looking at the moon - I think it's stunning. May seem mundane as we can see it easily, but I'm sure I could study it for ages.

 

[Silk]

You're a little ray of sunshine, aren't you?

1. Oh yes they do. Other pyramids have, also, been found to correspond to other stars in the constellation of Orion and the Pleiades
2. It was Robert Bauval, not Graham Hancock
3. The theory has been accepted by mainstream archaeology, including that **** Zahi Hawass

Well that's a new development. Last I knew all the real scientists thought it was a barrel of shite.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

Well that's a new development. Last I knew all the real scientists thought it was a barrel of shite.

Scientists have no interest in this, so would not have formed an opinion. On the other hand, however, Egyptologists and archaeoastronomers do and concur with it. Unless, of course, they all talk shite.

 

[Silk]

Scientists have no interest in this, so would not have formed an opinion. On the other hand, however, Egyptologists and archaeoastronomers do and concur with it. Unless, of course, they all talk shite.

Don't talk such cobblers.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

Don't talk such cobblers.

Well there's a typical reasoned response. You're not very bright, are you?

 

[Silk]

Well there's a typical reasoned response. You're not very bright, are you?

Seriously, how would you know how bright I am?

Since two minutes Googling is enough to identify the names of several scientists who have both taken an interest in the ideas, and criticised them, I can only conclude that you don't know as much about it as you think you do. Or alternatively, you are talking through your tits.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

Seriously, how would you know how bright I am?

Since two minutes Googling is enough to identify the names of several scientists who have both taken an interest in the ideas, and criticised them, I can only conclude that you don't know as much about it as you think you do. Or alternatively, you are talking through your tits.

As I have said, this has nothing to do with science. Are you unable to comprehend this? We are talking about ancient history, things that happened almost 6000 years ago, by a people who were far ahead of their time. But in your language it's all shite, bollocks and tits. Well done!

 

[Silk]

As I have said, this has nothing to do with science. Are you unable to comprehend this? We are talking about ancient history, things that happened almost 6000 years ago, by a people who were far ahead of their time. But in your language it's all shite, bollocks and tits. Well done!

Thank you.

Except you didn't actually say it has nothing to do with science, did you? You said "scientists have no interest in this, so would not have formed an opinion", which is completely false.